Neeraj Chopra Breaks National Record at Comeback Event, Wins Silver

Neeraj Chopra was competing at his first event since the 2022 Tokyo Olympics.

Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has won a silver in his comeback event.

Image: PTI 

Neeraj Chopra broke his own personal best and created a new national record on his way to a silver medal at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland, his first competition since the Tokyo Olympics last year.

The 24-year-old Olympic gold medallist started with a throw of 86.92m and followed it up with his career's best throw, of 89.30m. His next three attempts were all fouls and he finished with 85.85m in his sixth.

The gold medal was won by local favourite Oliver Helander with his second throw of 89.83m while Anderson Peters bagged the bronze with 86.60m.

"Very nice competition, and I am very happy for my personal best and national record. Oliver (Helander) had very good technique today. I tried maybe too much, because that was my first competition of this season. I will compete next in Kuortane after four days," Chopra said after winning the silver.

Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago finished fourth in the 10-man field with 84.02m, while Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic came in sixth with 83.91m.

While not a Diamond League event, the 2022 Paavo Nurmi Games boasted of a packed line-up in the men's javelin event with current world champion Anderson Peters, Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch and London Olympics gold medallist Keshorn Walcott participating in the 10-man field.

Peters had thrown the season's best distance of 93.07m at the Doha Diamond League last month while Vadlejch finished runner-up there with a throw of 90.88m.

Neeraj's main rival, Johannes Vetter of Germany, is not competing at the event. His personal best is a commanding 97.76m and he crossed the 90m mark over five times before the Tokyo Olympics last year and was a favourite for the gold, but struggled in the wet conditions at Tokyo and was eliminated in the qualification round itself.

After Turku, Neeraj is scheduled to stay in Finland to compete at the Kuortane Games before heading to Sweden for the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League.

(With inputs from IANS)